Review – The Bear and The Bride By Jianne Carlo

Jarl Torsten glimpses Ainslin of Durham, a recent widow with two sons, and immediately covets her for his wife. He outmaneuvers his rival, Ainslin’s neighbor Earl Sigrid, and receives the king’s blessing to marry her.

Ainslin fears Torsten reaction when he discovers she’s a virgin. How to explain her maidenhead and twin sons?

Her worst nightmares are realized when Earl Sigrid arrives in Norway for King Cnut’s coronation. What does he suspect? Will Torsten cast Ainslin and the boys aside when he discovers the truth?

Review:

Ainslin has been married twice now. Both times by proxy. She has twin sons, and she is going to her second husband’s bed…a virgin. To say that Torsten is surprised when his new bride turns out to be a virgin is a huge understatement, but he is pleased as a cat in cream.

Ms. Carlo has written a very short story about a Viking warrior claiming the bride he desires above all others. There is not a significant amount of depth to the plot, perhaps because of the brevity of the story, and there are a few points that I felt were left hanging (such as Sigrid just giving up his desire to see Ainslin’s boys or his quest to have Ainslin for his own, and was Martha part of Sigrid's plan). However, it was an enjoyable “quickie” that was both sweet and entertaining.